Environmental Groups Push For 60 MPG Standard By 2025

Environmental groups are pushing for fuel economy standards that would boost cars to 60 miles per gallon by 2025.

Environmental groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club sent a letter to the Obama administration asking for fuel economy standards that would require light vehicles to be able to travel 60 miles on a gallon of fuel by 2025.

The groups say car makers already have the technology needed to build vehicles that could meet the higher standard. Requiring that they do so would cut pollution and significantly reduce our dependence on oil. The groups say that mandating a 60-mpg standard could decrease annual gasoline consumption in the U.S. by 44 billion gallons, which would be like taking 70 million cars off the road.

Some in the auto industry differ with that assessment. “Instead of plucking numbers out of the air, we should base policy on science and expert reviews of all the factors, like affordability of technology, availability of low-carbon fuels and the state of the electric infrastructure,” said Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of the Auto Alliance in a statement released by the auto manufacturers trade group.

McCurdy said the call for a 60-mpg standard in in part the result of political maneuvering, and that it comes too soon. “Just last year automakers supported reaching 35+ mpg by 2016, and before we have even achieved those new heights, the calls have begun to almost double mileage.”

Proposed rules adopted earlier this year are expected to raise the fleet-wide average fuel economy for new vehicles to 35.5 mpg by the 2016 model year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are also developing proposals for one rule to improve fuel efficiency standards and cut greenhouse gas emissions of passenger vehicles, and another to do the same for commercial trucks.

Comments (1 of 1)

There is no argument that the USA needs to reduce our dependence on oil. I for one believe the technology is there and it would not be impossible to meet the 60 mpg goal by 2025. The voltswagon jetta tdi has already exceeded the measly 35 mpg goal the auto industry has so graciously supported to meet by 2016. Why don't they do it now?